Weapons | War History

The History of Drop Tanks: From Improvised Bombs to Vietnamese Canoes

Aircraft in flight + Close-up of a drop tank

Since the end of the Vietnam War, Vietnamese civilians have been making the most of US military waste. Reduce, reuse, recycle has taken on a…

M1919 Browning: An Innovative and Revolutionary Firearm

Gunner manning an M1919 Browning

The M1919 Browning machine gun is one of the most prolific firearms used by the US military, having seen use during the Second World War,…

Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt’s Famed Revolver Was Stolen and Returned – Twice!

Todd Neikirk
Theodore Roosevelt holding up his hat + Colt M1892 revolver on a purple sheet

There has never been a US President quite like Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, and there’s unlikely to be another ever again. Born frail and weak, Roosevelt…

The Short Career of the Civil War-Era Double-Barreled Cannon

Double-barreled cannon on display

The double-barreled cannon is as cool as it sounds. It can shoot two cannon balls at the same time that, when attached by a chain,…

The Lee-Enfield Repeating Rifle Has the World’s Second-Longest Service History

Todd Neikirk
British soldiers training on Lee-Enfield repeating rifles

The first version of the Lee-Enfield repeating rifle entered into service in 1895. Since then, 17 million units and a number of variants have been…

Russian Forces Are Hitting Eastern Ukraine With an Estimated 60,000 Shells Per Day

Ukrainian soldier holding a rocket fragment

The Russo-Ukraine War is nearing the four-month mark, and the Ukrainian military is beginning to run dangerously low on the ammunition needed to operate its…

M777 Howitzer: The US Military’s Lightweight Replacement for the M198

Clare Fitzgerald
US soldiers firing an M777 howitzer

The M777 howitzer might not look all that intimidating when placed alongside its much larger counterparts, but this small and lightweight artillery system packs quite…

Vietnam War Traps: 9 Viet Cong Booby Traps That Defined the Vietnam War

American soldiers walking along a rice field

The Vietnam War was infamous for the guerrilla warfare the American forces were largely unprepared for. The Viet Cong were on home turf and used…

The Germans Had High Hopes for the Goliath Tracked Mine

US Navy sailors standing around captured Goliath tracked mines

It’s common today for bombings to be done via drone. This is an effective strategy for a number of reasons. The aerial vehicles don’t need…

M142 HIMARS: The Artillery System Capable of Providing Combat Support in All Conditions

Marines loading an M142 HIMARS

The M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) has been getting a lot of press lately, due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The…

Six Things War Movies Get Wrong About Grenades

Elisabeth Edwards
Soldier preparing to throw a hand grenade

When it comes to explosive weapons, nothing is more recognizable (and misunderstood) than the hand grenade. Movies and video games usually depict someone pulling the…

Was Ball Turret Gunner the Worst Position to Hold During World War II?

Gunner sitting in the entrance to a ball turret

There were plenty of positions during World War II that put a serviceman’s life at risk. Arguably one of the worst was being the ball…